Turntable



Feb 7, 1967 L. H. BARNETT ETAL 3?@@2594 TURNTABLE Filed Oct. '7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb 7, w67 L. H. BARNr-:TT ETAL 3,302594 TURNTABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 7, 1965 United States Patent m 3,302,594 TURNTABLE Louis H. Barnett and Edmund R. Luther, Fort Worth, Tex., assignors to Loma Industries, Fort Worth, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed st. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 493,765 4 Claims. (Cl. 1138-139) This invention relates to turntables and particularly relates to a turntable assembly of essentially three parts which are preferably molded as substantially rigid plastic.

The primary object of this invention is a turntable assembly which can be economically manufactured and put into operation with a small number of simple parts.

Another object is a turntable assembly wherein an essentially integral platform is quickly assembled with an essentially integral raceway and roller unit.

Another object is a turntable wherein any worn or damaged part can be quickly and simply substituted with an economical like part.

Another object is a turntable assembled from a few parts and having a low prole to provide stable turning and attractiveness.

Another object is a turntable in which a platform is rotatable around a simple stationary raceway of economical construction and easy engagement with the rotatable platform.

Another object is a turntable wherein a simple annular structure operates both as a raceway and as a stationary support for the rotating platform, and wherein the platform is joined to the stationary raceway but is freely rotatable in relation thereto.

Another object is the turntable assembly wherein the rotation of the platform is efficiently provided by a retaining ring having spaced rolling means, and wherein such ring is advantageously positioned between the spinnable platform and base by spacing means.

The objects just recited are attained as well as other objects which will become apparent by considering the invention in the following disclosure, which includes drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan View of the turntable;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional View on an elongated scale along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a -bottom plan View of the turntable;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the retaining ring; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale along line S-S of FIGURE 4.

The use of the same numerals in the various views is intended to indicate reference to the same structures, elements, and relationships.

The turntable has a platform shown generally as which is rotatable, turnable or spinnable. T he platform has a top side 12 and is shown as having a continuous raised edge 14 along the periphery. The bottom is seen/ 55 3,302,594y Patented Feb. '7, 1967 spaced equidistantly along an imaginary circumference which would be generally coincidental with the periphery 28 of a lower circular raceway.

Looking at the bottom View of FIGURE 3 it will be seen that the annular raceway shown generally as 30 is removably mounted in overlapping relationship with the arcuate flange portions of the mounting lugs 26a and 26h. The raceway is a continuous annular member having a bottom 32 and outer upright annular wall 34, and an inner upright annular wall 36. The oor 32 of the raceway is adapted to be placed on a support base 37 such as a table. A continuous flange portion 38 is formed at the top of the -outer annular wall 34. The annular raceway is removably mounted under the platform by flexing the mounting lugs outwardly towards the periphery of the platform so that the continuous raceway flange 3S may slip over the arcuate flange portions of the mounting lugs. The turntable is made of rigid material but such rigid material has some inherent flexibility so that the mounting lugs can yield a small degree to accommodate entry of the continuous flange of the annular raceway. Such materials may be various plastics such as polyethylene.

Intermediate the upper platform 10 and the lower raceway Sl is a retaining ring shown generally as 40. The annular retaining ring is preferably flat and rectangular in cross section throughout substantially all of its extension. The ring has a plurality of oversize openings such as 42 for roller means such as a ball bearing 44. The ball bearing is confined within the opening but freely rotatable therein. A plurality of such openings are spaced equidistances along the circumference defined by the annular ring. Positioned intermediate some adjacent pairs of openings or spaces are proturberences or projections such as 46. The protuberences are also preferably spaced at equidistances along the cicumference of the annular retaining -ring to better position the ring between the raceway and the bottom lof the platform. Each projection is seen in the form of a rounded protuberence 48 extending from the top of the ring toward the bottom of the platform, and the like rounded protuberence 50 extending from the bottom of the ring towards the oor of the raceway. lt is seen that the dimensions of the retaining ring together with its projections and ball bearings is dimensioned so that it is freely received within the space of the raceway dened by outer annular wall 34, inner annular wall 36, and Hoor 32.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

A turntable is provided in which a very small number of pieces are uniquely and economically combined to provide simple and quick assembly while at the same time attaining a maximum degree of stability and economic saving. The assembly is put together from essentially three pieces which include an upper platform which is spinnable or rotatable, a lower piece which operates both as a raceway and as a stationary support or base, and an intermediate retaining ring for the roller means. The raceway is a part with little structural materials since it is in the form of an annular band. This piece with little structural material, however, imparts a great deal of stability because the relationship of its size to the size of the upper spinnable platform. By this it is meant that the diameter of the annular raceway is almost as great as the diameter of the greatest circle within this spinnable platform if it is a shape other than circular. Although the raceway is, of course, slightly smaller than the greatest extent of the platform, the substantially equivalent extension provides a great degree of stability in use.

In the practice of this invention, the three pieces are preferably formed as essentially integral units by economically molding rigid or substantially rigid plastics such as polyethylene. The upper platform or spinnable tray can be molded as a substantially planar part or a part having slight modifications such as a peripheral lip. It will be understood that in any event a substantial portion of the spinnable platform will have a planar portion to support the articles deposited thereon. Likewise, the mounting lugs are preferably integrally cast on the bottom of the spinnable platform. The raceway is likewise integrally cast or molded and the relative dimensions of the mounting lugs and the raceway are such that the assembled turntable has a low profile relative to the support or base on which it is placed. This low profile has the double advantage of providing a pleasing effect and enhancing the stability of the turntable.

Such dimensions are controlled so that when the continuous flange 38 of the raceway is in overlapping relationship with the arcuate flange such as 36 of a mounting lug, the bottom 32 of the raceway is positioned only a slight distance below the bottom of the arcuate flange 3d. By preselecting a short distance for the outer and inner annular walls of the raceway this relationship is assured and the low profile is obtained. The outer annular wall 34, for example, should be short enough so it provides a free space between the top of the wall and the bottom of the platform. The other end should extend only so the attached floor 32 is clearly below the flange 36 of the mounting lug. There is a general area where such a relationship may be varied but nonetheless it will be understood that the closer the floor 32 is to bottom of the flange 36 the lower will be the profile and the more stable will be the turntable.

The retaining ring for the roller means is integral in the sense that it preferably contains all the units except the actual roller means. lt is not necessary to hook up, overlap, or otherwise link up the retaining ring since it is continuous and has spaced oversized openings such as 42 to receive the roller means. Likewise, the projections such as 45 are integrally formed with the retaining ring to provide the desired spacing of the intermediate ring between the lower raceway and the upper platform. The actual number of such projections is not important so long as enough are provided to provide stable points, such number being a minimum of three. The rounded projections extend above the top of the ring towards the bottom of the platform and from the bottom of the ring towards the floor 32 of the raceway. Such projections extend a distance in each direction which is substantially equivalent to the extent which the roller means project above and below the retaining ring. Various roller means may be included in the oversize openings and it has been found that the conventional ball bearings very satisfactorily meet the requirements. It is conceivable that other rolling means may be employed such as small cylinders or balls made of materials other than hard metal. Likewise, small rollers may be connected to depending brackets from the bottom of the retaining ring and rotatably joined to the bottom of the brackets by a pivot or the like.

The foregoing invention can now be practiced, and such practitioners will know that the invention is not necessarily restricted to the particular embodiments presented herein. The scope of the invention is to be defined by the terms of the following claims as given meaning by the preceding description.

We claim:

1. A turntable which includes, in combination,

a platform being planar throughout a substantial portion thereof, the planar portion having a top to receive a deposited article, and a bottom,

a plurality of spaced mounting members fixed to the bottom of the platform, each mounting member having an arcuate flange portion, each arcuate flange portion being substantially parallel to the bottom of the platform, a lower stationary annular raceway member, said raceway member having a circumferential line within the substantially planar portion of the platform, said annular raceway having a bottom adapted to Contact a supporting base, continuous walls on the inner and outer annular edges of the bottom extending towards the platform bottom, a continuous raceway flange at the top of the outer annular wall of the raceway, said flange positioned above the arcuate flange portions of the mounting members so the position of the annular raceway is defined by the mounting members, continuous roller retainer ring in the raceway, said ring dimensioned to fit in the raceway portion formed by the bottom of the raceway and the inner and outer annular walls, and a plurality of roller bearing means confined within the ring at spaced positions, whereby the platform is adapted to be rotated upon the roller bearing means rotatably confined within the ring and within the raceway which is stationarily positioned on the support base.

2. A turntable assembly as in claim 1 further characterized by and including a projection on the continuous ring between adjacent confined rollers, said projection extending towards the bottom of the platform and towards the raceway, and said projection extending in both directions substantially to the same extent as the roller means extended out of their rotatable confinement.

3. A turntable assembly of three molded pieces, which includes, in combination,

an integral platform as the first piece, a substantial portion of that platform being planar, the planar portion having a top to receive a deposited article and a bottorn,

a plurality of arcuate mounting lugs integrally formed with the bottom of the platform, said mounting lugs being substantially equally spaced from one another in such a way that a curvilinear extension of the arcuate portions Would form the circumference of a circle, each mounting lug having an arcuate flange spaced away from the bottom of the platform,

an annular raceway adapted to be removably mounted in spaced relationship with the mounting lugs, said raceway having a continuous bottom, an upright inner annular wall and an upright outer annular wall, the top of the outer annular wall having a continuous flange, said continuous flange adapted to be placed in overlapping relationship with the arcuate flange portions of the mounting lugs,

a continuous annular retaining ring dimensioned to be positioned in the raceway in the area defined by the inner and outer annular walls and the continuous bottom, said retaining ring having a ball bearing rotatably positioned in each opening, and projections between adjacent openings extending towards the bottom of the platform on one side and towards the bottom of the raceway on the other side, said projections extending substantially to the same distance as the extent of the ball bearing on each side of the retaining ring.

4. A turntable which includes, in combination,

a platform being planar throughout a substantial portion thereof, the planar portion having a top to receive a deposited article, and, a bottom,

a plurality of spaced mounting members fixed to the bottom of said platform, said mounting members positioned within the periphery of said platform bottom, each mounting member having a positioning portion spaced from said platform bottom,

a lower stationary annular raceway, said raceway member having a bottom adapted to contact a supporting base, said mounting members spaced on said platform bottom so that they may adjoin the outer periphery of said raceway member,

means on said raceway cooperatively joined to said positioning portions of said mounting members by a yielding movement of said raceway or said mounting members, said mounting of the raceway to the platform bottom limiting lateral movement of the raceWay relative to the planar platform bottom but freely permitting rotational movement of said platform relative to said raceway,

a continuous roller retainer ring, said ring dimensioned to t and to be retained in said annular raceway, and a plurality of roller bearing means confined Within the ring at spaced positions,

whereby the platform is adapted to be rotated upon the roller bearing means rotatably conned within the ring and Within the raceway stationarily on the support base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/ 1907 Richter 248-349 X 10/1929 Van Der Meer 10S-139 X 5/1932 Albee 238-349 X 12/1936 Cramer 108-139 12/1952 Van Loghem 108--139 X 10/ 1955 Panzer 248-349 X 1/ 1957 Matthews 248--349 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1/1950 Australia. 6/ 1934 Swizerland.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Prmaly Examiner.

JAMES T. MCCALL, Examiner. 

1. A TURNTABLE WHICH INCLUDES, IN COMBINATION, A PLATFORM BEING PLANAR THROUGHOUT A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION THEREOF, THE PLANAR PORTION HAVING A TOP TO RECEIVE A DEPOSITED ARTICLE, AND A BOTTOM, A PLURALITY OF SPACED MOUNTING MEMBERS FIXED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PLATFORM, EACH MOUNTING MEMBER HAVING AND ARCUATE FLANGE PORTION, EACH ARCUATE FLANGE PORTION BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PLATFORM, A LOWER STATIONARY ANNULAR RACEWAY MEMBER, SAIDF RACEWAY MEMBER HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIAL LINE WITHIN THE SUBSTANTIALLY PLANAR PORTION OF THE PLATFORM, SAID ANNULAR RACEWAY HAVING A BOTTOM ADAPTED TO CONTACT A SUPPORTING BASE, CONTINUOUS WALLS ON THE INNER AND OUTER ANNULAR EDGES OF THE BOTTOM EXTENDING TOWARDS THE PLATFROM BOTTOM, A CONTINUOUS RACEWAY FLANGE AT THE TOP OF THE OUTER ANNULAR WALL OF THE RACEWAY, SAID FLANGE POSITIONED ABOVE THE ARCUATE FLANGE PORTIONS OF THE MOUNTING MEMBERS SO THE POSITION OF THE ANNULAR RACEWAY IS DEFINED BY THE MOUNTING MEMBERS, A CONTINUOUS ROLLER RETAINER RING IN THE RACEWAY, SAID RING DIMENSIONED TO FIT IN THE RACEWAY PORTION FORMED BY THE BOTTOM OF THE RACEWAY AND THE INNER AND OUTER ANNULAR WALLS, AND A PLURALITY OF ROLLER BEARING MEANS CONFINED WITHIN THE RING AT SPACED POSITIONS, WHEREBY THE PLATFORM IS ADAPTED TO BE ROTATED UPON THE ROLLER BEARING MEANS ROTATABLY CONFINED WITHIN THE RING AND WITHIN THE RACEWAY WHICH IS STATIONARY POSITION ON THE SUPPORT BASE. 